Legal name

A person’s name given at birth or that has been declared the person's name by a court. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx

Letter Grades/Grade Point Averages (GPA)

Most colleges use both letter grades and GPA’s in determining students’ grades. Most colleges figure GPA’s using the following method: A’s are worth 4 points; B’s are worth 3 points; C’s are worth 2 points; D’s are worth 1 point; and F’s are worth 0 points. To figure a GPA, multiply the number of hours a course is worth by the number of points for the letter grade, then add up the totals for each course and divide by the number of credit hours. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Liberal Arts

A course of studies in college that provides a well-rounded education in the arts, sciences, and the humanities as well as career courses. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Loan

Money borrowed to pay for college expenses. Loans must be repaid, usually with interest. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Major/Minor

A major is a student’s chosen field of study. It usually requires the successful completion of a specified number of credit hours. A minor is designated as a specific number of credit hours in a secondary field of study.

Mandatory:

authoritatively ordered; obligatory; compulsory . http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mandatory

Mid-term Exams (Midterms)

During the middle of each semester, instructors may give mid-term exams that test students on the material covered during the first half of the semester. Some classes have only two tests, a midterm and a final. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Non-Credit Courses

Some courses have zero (0) credit hours and do not meet the requirements for a certificate of a degree at a given institution. Non-credit courses may serve one of several purposes: to explore new fields of study, increase proficiency in a particular skill area or profession, develop potential or enrich life experiences. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Official transcript

Institution certified statement of your academic record. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Open Admission

Some colleges offer admission to all students who apply. Such colleges usually have extensive programs designed to provide remedial or developmental help to students who enroll with academic deficiencies. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Pass/Fail Courses

Pass/fail courses do not earn letter grades or grade points for students. If a student passes a pass/fail course, he/she receives a “P” (pass) or “S” (satisfactory) on the transcript and the credit hours. If the student does not pass the course, they will receive an “F” (fail) or “U” (unsatisfactory) on the transcript and no credit hours. Pass/fail courses are not figured into the student’s GPA. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Personal Portfolio:

The purpose of the Personal Portfolio is to organize one’s life experience into a single document that the admissions office can use to evaluate the applicant and assign credit as appropriate. (It can also be used for submission to prospective employers or for consulting work). http://www.iups.edu/Students/PersonalPortfolio/tabid/213/Default.aspx

Personal Statement/Essay

Personal statements are required in some scholarship applications. The scholarship selection committees use these statements as a tool to choose the right scholarship recipient. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx

Postsecondary

The stage of learning that occurs after high school at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Prerequisites (Prerequisite Courses)

A prerequisite is a condition that must be met before a student can enroll in a course. The prerequisite can include a specific skill level (a minimum ACT, SAT or basic skills test score) or the completion of a specific course, called a prerequisite course. For example, Accounting I is a prerequisite for Accounting II . http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Proprietary Institution

A for-profit school often specializing in technology-related fields or trades such as beautician or barber. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test

The PSAT/NMSQT is a practice test designed to prepare high school juniors for the SAT and is used in the awarding of National Merit Scholarships. Colleges do not often use the PSAT scores as admission criteria. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Recommendation Letter / Reference Letter

is a letter in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. They are almost always specifically requested to be written about someone, and therefore addressed to a particular requestor. It is typically related to employment, admissions to institutions of higher education or scholarship eligibility. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_recommendation

Registrar

The registrar of an institution is responsible for maintaining all academic records. Duties may also include maintenance of class enrollments, providing statistical information on student enrollment, certification of athletic eligibility and student eligibility for honor rolls, certification of the eligibility of veterans, administering probation and retention policies and verification of the completion of degree requirements for graduation. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu

Regular Decision

A term that describes a traditional college application process in which an institution reviews most of its applications prior to notifying the majority of its candidates. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

Rolling Admission

A term that describes an application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are received and offers decisions to students as applications are reviewed. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)

A standardized admission test used by college and university admission offices to determine a student’s success in college, based on the student’s English, mathematics, reading, and reasoning skills. https://app.oregonstudentaid.gov/Glossary.aspx.